Stereoscope marries past and present|||
Los Angeles-dwelling firm Wick Architecture & Design and LAND Design Studio have just unveiled the second outpost of the aptly named Stereoscope, a popular coffee shop in Newport Beach that transports cathedral-inspired opulence to the Orange County’s coastal city.
Housed within the ground level of a large two-building office complex, the building’s pièce de résistance is a 15’-0” foot ceiling. Connecting to entrances at both ends of the L-shaped space, the interior, and particularly its grandiose ceiling, finds its inspiration in Antonio da Correggio’s Assumption of the Virgin.
The 16th-century fresco, adorning the dome of the Cathedral of Parma, harks back to a recent trip David Wick and Andrew Lindley took to Italy, which provided the team with a rich source of design inspiration for the café, one that could be married with their own modern interpretations, promising to dazzle the café’s design-conscious crowd.
The café’s pièce de résistance is a 15’-0” foot ceiling. Photo: Benny Chan
“We recalled an artist named Christy Lee Rogers, who is renowned for her unique underwater Renaissance and Baroque style photography,” notes David Wick. “We approached her with the idea of licensing a piece of her work, The Reunion of Cathryn Carrie and Jean, and then transferring it to 3D.”
To achieve the desired result, the designers worked with a Nashville-based blue-printers, Big Visual Group, to develop a key for cutting the art into pieces, before printing these onto 5-foot vinyl rolls, which were then applied to the ceiling like wallpaper. The team also ensured that those who opted not to wear 3D glasses would still have a beautiful and eclectic work of art to view and experience.
Lighting by Astro Globe softly illuminates the space. Photo: Benny Chan
Lighting fixtures by Astro Globe from Andrew Neyer’s Suff® collection embellishes the elaborate artwork, softly illuminating the interior, while also serving to delineate the modern, minimalist décor below.
The shop was designed with a combination of minimalist fittings and warm materials. White oak bench seating wraps around the L-shaped space, beautifully complementing the café’s modern palette and natural concrete floors spanning throughout.
A blue orca marble slab, the coffee shop’s bar, by Wink Design Source infuses movement and texture, and the bone-white matte tiles lining the back of the service counter bring a touch of warmth and texture to the contemporary expanse.
3D glasses provide access to the full visual grandeur. Photo: Benny Chan
Elsewhere, a simple shelving system was fitted above the bench seating to display 20 pairs of 3D glasses and provide guests access to the full visual grandeur of the artwork above, completing Stereoscope’s avant-garde experience and polished interiors.
“This project is a prime example of how interior design can transport a vision beyond the confines of the space that it occupies,” says David Wick. “We’re proud to have pushed the boundaries of traditional design to deliver something truly distinct and remarkable for our client.”
This is a café that knows how to raise the bar on the modern coffee shop experience; much to the delight of the roaster’s loyal coffee clientele.
Stereoscope Coffee Co, 100 Bayview Circle, STE 1200 Newport Beach, California
Stereoscope encourages its guests to look up, not down
